About A-level Further Mathematics

Further mathematics, as the title implies, is more difficult and challenging. For those of you who are thinking about doing a degree in Mathematics, Engineering or Physics, then Further mathematics is certainly for you. Indeed, many of the top-ranked universities will not consider you unless you have Further mathematics as an entry qualification – and most probably with at least a B grade if not an A.

In order to succeed in Further Mathematics you obviously have to both good at mathematics and willing to put in quite a bit more hard work. Having said that, those who enjoy mathematics anyway tend to thrive with Further Mathematics. Given the above, we do not recommend that just anyone takes the Further Mathematics A-level – you need to be getting a comfortable A grade in the plain vanilla Mathematics A-level to be able to cope with and excel in the Further mathematics.

At the Tree Foundation Tutorial College we prefer the Pearson Edexcel International A-level (IAL) which consists of six modules:
F1 & F2 or F3 then any four of the remaining available modules except C12 and C34 (as you will have done these in the Mathematics A-level)

Full specifications of the IAL in Further Mathematics can be found here.

How often can I sit the IALs? Theoretically you can take them as often as you wish though most students prepare themselves properly so that they succeed on their first attempt. Most students sit the C12 (a combined paper) and perhaps one more paper (M1, S1 or D1) in one sitting and then six months later they sit the remaining 3 modules. There are many though who do not succeed on their first attempt, or they do not attain the grade that they desired or deserved and therefore elect to re-sit the specific examination. A prospective test taker ought to be careful, however, not to sit the same examination too on too many occasions as the universities may take this into account when assessing the candidate’s application.

How many hours per week of tutoring would be ideal? Generally, we recommend that a serious student does 2 hours per week. The tutorials can be organized so that the tutee has a whole week to prepare the relevant homework for the next relevant tutorial. This system maximizes the progress and performance.

Important links

Coming soon

Practice materials – Recommended textbooks

There are not many books that one can confidently call classics and which are just as valid and useful today as they were 40 years ago. Of such books, Bostock and Chandler’s suite of books for A-level Mathematics remain our all-time favourites. They are also error-free which is very rare with any book, especially mathematics books. Therefore, for the serious student who wants to read around the various topics a little more, derive excellent explanations and examples as well as numerous practice questions we highly recommend the following by Bostock & Chandler in addition to those essential books endorsed by Edexcel for the specific modules for the respective examinations: